Louisville Cardinals quarterback Teddy Bridgewater (5) looks to pass the ball against the South Florida during a game last season. / Jamie Rhodes, USA TODAY Sports

by Paul Myerberg, USA TODAY Sports

by Paul Myerberg, USA TODAY Sports

Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater was able to obtain a $10 million insurance policy by using an outside party approved by the NCAA, allowing him to gain more coverage than the amount allocated by the NCAA's sanctioned insurance plan.

The NCAA's insurance plan, the "Exceptional Student-Athlete Disability Insurance Program," allots upwards of $5 million to qualified student-athletes. Since the end of last season, Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel and South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney have acquired the $5 million policy.

But by gaining approval from the NCAA to pursue an outside insurance policy, Bridgewater was able to obtain additional coverage in case of a career-threatening â?? or career-ending â?? injury suffered as the Cardinals' quarterback, the university said Tuesday.

The process of obtaining an insurance policy is fairly simple. There are a variety of different companies licensed by the NCAA to work qualified student-athletes, groups that offer different policies, plans and values. Once a company is approved by the NCAA, a student-athlete can choose the company he or she feels can provide the highest quality of coverage.

Bridgewater looked at four different companies before choosing the $10 million policy through Lloyd's of London, according to Louisville.

Bridgewater enters his junior season as one of the top quarterbacks in the country and a prime contender for the Heisman Trophy. As a sophomore, Bridgewater threw for 3,718 yards and 27 touchdowns in helping Louisville win 11 games, including a convincing win against Florida in the Sugar Bowl.

Paul Myerberg, a national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports, is on Twitter @PaulMyerberg.